US 7,000,260 B2Granted

Disposable garment and related manufacturing equipment and methods

AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.

InventorsGregory John Rajala, Steven Craig Gehling, Paul Daniel Suke

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Abstract

A disposable garment, subassemblies of the garment, and apparatus and methods for making the garment and subassemblies. The garment has elasticized leg and waist openings. The apparatus and methods of the invention facilitate assembling leg elastics and crotch elastics into the garment subassemblies, with the leg elastics extending across the width of the garment, and the crotch elastics extending along the length of the garment, while assembling a series of the garment subassemblies in a continuous web structure at a constant, or relatively constant, continuous and efficient speed. The leg elastics are installed across the crotch. The resulting garment is free from resilient tension across the crotch when the crotch portion is extended across the width of the garment.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A garment blank subassembly having a front body portion, a back body portion, and a crotch portion extending from the front body portion to the back body portion and between first and second leg openings, the front body portion having first and second front leg edge portions along the leg openings, a front end opposite the first and second front leg edge portions, and first and second front sides, the back body portion having first and second back leg edge portions along the leg openings, a back end opposite the first and second back leg edge portions, and first and second back sides, the crotch portion having first and second crotch edge portions on opposing sides thereof along the leg openings, the garment blank subassembly having a length extending between the front and back ends, and a width extending transverse to the length, the garment blank subassembly comprising:

(a) an absorbent extending from the front end through the crotch portion to the back end;
(b) a first elastic attached to the absorbent and extending, from the first side, as a first section of the first elastic, along the width of the garment blank subassembly and generally following one of the first front leg edge portion and the first back leg edge portion toward the crotch portion, as a second section of the first elastic, when incorporated into the garment blank subassembly, across the crotch portion, and as a third section of the first elastic, along and generally following one of the second front leg edge portion and the second back leg edge portion, away from the crotch portion;
and (c) a second elastic attached to the absorbent and extending, as a first section of the second elastic, along the width of the garment blank subassembly and generally following the other of the first front leg edge portion and first back leg edge portion toward the crotch portion, as a second section of the second elastic, when incorporated into the garment blank subassembly, across the crotch portion, and as a third section of the second elastic, along and generally following the other of the second front leg edge portion and the second back leg edge portion away from the crotch portion;
the second sections of the first and second elastics being devoid of resilient extension force across the crotch portion such that there is a resilient stretch disconnect between the first leg opening elastics and the second leg opening elastics, said crotch portion being free from crossing elastics.

1 more element

A disposable garment having a front body portion, a back body portion, and a crotch portion extending from the front body portion to the back body portion and between first and second leg openings, the front body portion having first and second front leg edge portions along the leg openings, a front end opposite the first and second front leg edge portions, the back body portion having first and second back leg edge portions along the leg openings, a back end opposite the first and second back leg edge portions, the crotch portion having first and second crotch edge portions on opposing sides thereof along the leg openings, the disposable garment having a length extending between the front and back ends through the crotch portion, and a width extending transverse to the length, said disposable garment comprising:

(a) an absorbent extending from the front end through the crotch portion to the back end;
(b) a first elastic attached to the absorbent and extending, as a first section of the first elastic, along the width of the disposable garnent and following the first front leg edge portion toward the crotch portion, as a second section of the first elastic across the crotch portion, and as a third section of the first elastic, along the width of the disposable garment and following the second front leg edge portion away from the crotch portion;
and
(c) a second elastic attached to the absorbent and extending, as a first section of the second elastic, along the width of the disposable garment and following the first back leg edge portion toward the crotch portion, as a second section of the second elastic across the crotch portion, and as a third section of the second elastic, along the width of the disposable garment and following the second back leg edge portion away from the crotch portion;
the second sections of the first and second elastics being devoid of resilient extension force across the crotch portion such that there is a resilient stretch disconnect between the first leg opening elastics and the second leg opening elastics, said crotch portion being free from crossing elastics.

2 more elements

A garment blank subassembly having a front body portion, a back body portion, and a crotch portion extending from the front body portion to the back body portion and between first and second leg openings, the front body portion having first and second front leg edge portions along the leg openings, a front end opposite the first and second front leg edge portions, the back body portion having first and second back leg edge portions along the leg openings, a back end opposite the first and second back leg edge portions, the crotch portion having first and second crotch edge portions on opposing sides thereof along the leg openings, the garment blank subassembly having a length extending between the front and back ends, and a width extending transverse to the length, the garment blank subassembly comprising:

(a) an absorbent extending from the front end through the crotch portion to the back end;
(b) a first elastic attached to the absorbent and extending, as a first section of the first elastic, along the width of the garment blank subassembly and following the first front leg edge portion toward the crotch portion, as a second section of the first elastic, when incorporated into the garment blank subassembly, across the crotch portion, and as a third section of the first elastic, along the width of the garment blank subassembly and following the second front leg edge portion away from the crotch portion;
(c) a second elastic attached to the absorbent and extending, as a first section of the second elastic, along the width of the garment blank subassembly and following the first back leg edge portion toward the crotch portion, as a second section of the second elastic, when incorporated into the garment blank subassembly, across the crotch portion, and as a third section of the second elastic, along the width of the garment blank subassembly and following the second back leg edge portion away from the crotch portion;
(d) a third elastic attached to the absorbent along the first crotch edge portion and extending along a first straight-line path between the first and second elastics;
and
(e) a fourth elastic attached to the absorbent along the second crotch edge portion and extending along a second straight-line path between the first and second elastics,
the first sections of the first and second elastics, in combination with the third elastic cooperating, in a disposable garment made with said garment blank subassembly, to surround a first leg of a wearer,
the third sections of the first and second elastics, in combination with the fourth elastic cooperating, in a disposable garment made with said garment blank subassembly, to surround a second leg of the wearer.

5 more elements

(a) an absorbent extending from the front end through the crotch portion to the back end;
(b) a first elastic attached to the absorbent, and extending as a first section of the first elastic, along the width of the disposable garment and following the first front leg edge portion toward the crotch portion, as a second section of the first elastic, when incorporated into the disposable garment, across the crotch portion, and as a third section of the first elastic, along the width of the disposable garment and following the second front leg edge portion away from the crotch portion;
(c) a second elastic attached to the absorbent and extending, as a first section of the second elastic, along the width of the garment and following the first back leg edge portion toward the crotch portion, as a second section of the second elastic, when incorporated into the disposable garment, across the crotch portion, and as a third section of the second elastic, along the width of the disposable garment and following the second back leg edge portion away from the crotch portion;
(d) a third elastic attached to the absorbent along the first crotch edge portion and extending along a first straight-line path between first and second elastics;
and
(e) a fourth elastic attached to the absorbent along the second crotch edge portion and extending along a second straight-line path between the first and second elastics,
the first sections of the first and second elastics, in combination with the third elastic, cooperating to surround a first leg of a wearer,
the third sections of the first and second elastics, in combination with the fourth elastic, cooperating to surround a second leg of the wearer,
the second sections of the first and second elastics being devoid of resilient extension force across the crotch portion such that there is a resilient stretch disconnect between the first leg opening elastics and the second leg opening elastics.

6 more elements

A garment blank subassembly having a front body portion, a back body portion, and a crotch portion extending from the front body portion to the back body portion and between a pair of leg openings, the front body portion having first and second front leg edge portions along the leg openings, a front end opposite the first and second front leg edge portions, and first and second front sides, the back body portion having first and second back leg edge portions along the leg openings, a back end opposite the first and second back leg edge portions, and first and second back sides, the garment blank subassembly having a length extending between the front and back ends, and a width extending transverse to the length, the garment blank subassembly comprising:

(a) first and second layers collectively extending from the front end through the crotch portion to the back end, and defining an unsecured space extending across the width of the garment blank subassembly and displaced from the front and back ends, the unsecured space being free from securement of the first and second layers to each other;
and
(b) a first elastic secured to at least one of the first and second layers and extending, as a first section of the first elastic, along the width of the garment blank subassembly and generally following one of the first front leg edge portion and the first back leg edge portion toward the crotch portion, as a second section of the first elastic when incorporated into the disposable garment subassembly, across the crotch portion, and as a third section of the first elastic, along and generally following one of the second front leg edge portion and the second back leg edge portion, away from the crotch portion, the second section of the first elastic being disposed in the unsecured space.

A disposable garment having a front body portion, a back body portion, and a crotch portion extending from the front body portion to the back body portion and between a pair of leg openings, the front body portion having first and second front leg edge portions along the leg openings, a front end opposite the first and second front leg edge portions, and first and second front sides, the back body portion having first and second back leg edge portions along the leg openings, a back end opposite the first and second back leg edge portions, and first and second back sides joined respectively to the first and second front sides, the disposable garment having a length extending between the front and back ends, and a width extending transverse to the length, the disposable garment further comprising:

(a) first and second layers collectively extending from the front end through the crotch portion to the back end, and defining an unsecured space extending across the width of the garment and displaced from the front and back ends, the unsecured space being free from securement of the first and second layers to each other;
and
(b) a first elastic secured to at least one of the first and second layers and extending, as a first section of the first elastic, along the width of the disposable garment and generally following one of the first front leg edge portion and the first back leg edge portion toward the crotch, as a second section of the first elastic, across the crotch, and as a third section of the first elastic, along and generally following one of the second front leg edge portion and the second back leg edge portion, the second section of the first elastic being disposed in the unsecured space.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/391,420Filed 18 Mar 2003 · continuation
Priority: 31 Jan 1995
Published: US 2003/0196253 A123 Oct 2003
Granted: 21 Feb 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

A61F 13/496
Specially adapted to be worn around the waist, e.g. diapers or nappies: in the form of pants or briefs
A61F 13/15593
Of babies' napkins, e.g. diapers: having elastic ribbons fixed thereto; Devices for applying the ribbons
A61F 13/49017
With elastic means: the elastic means being located at the crotch region
A61F 13/49019
With elastic means: the elastic means being placed longitudinally, transversely or diagonally over the article

Family

Application08/382,108Parent of this division · filed 31 Jan 1995
Application08/937,225Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Sep 1997
Application09/548,231Parent of this continuation · filed 12 Apr 2000
US 2003/0196253 A1Pre-grant publication · published 23 Oct 2003
US 6,049,916 AParent of this continuation
US 5,745,922 AParent of this division
Application08/937,225Parent of this division
US 7,000,260 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.